Affinity Groups - What, Why, and How

Affinity Groups: What, Why, and How
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

About Seattle Girls’ School

Agenda
 Conversation Norms
 Basic Definitions
 What We’ve Tried and What Happened
 Sources of Resistance
 Identifying the Value of Affinity Groups
 Launching Affinity Groups
 Overcoming the Resistance
 Strengthening Communities

Conversation Norms
 Speak from the “I” perspective
 Disagree without being disagreeable
 Seek first to understand before being understood
 Criticize ideas, not people
 Work from your own learning edge and acknowledge
others may be coming from different places
 Demonstrate respect
 Be open-minded; seek clarification
 Take risks; lean into discomfort
 Assume positive regard
 Honor the spirit of confidentiality
 Remember the right to pass
 Ouch!
 Share air time

Basic Definitions
The term affinity group is used as a
bringing together of people who have an
identifier in common, e.g. race, gender,
religion, family status, etc. Affinity groups
are for individuals who identify as members
of the group and can speak to the
experience of being a member of the group
from the “I” perspective.

Basic Definitions
The term alliance group is used as a
bringing together of people who have a
common commitment to an identifier group,
e.g. race, gender, religion, family status,
etc. Alliance groups are for individuals who
identify as members of the group and/or as
people who support and stand in solidarity
with that group.

Basic Definitions
The term interest group is used as a
bringing together of people who want to
learn about, share, and engage in a special
interest, e.g. hobby, skill, topic, etc.
Interest groups are for individuals who want
to gather to teach, learn, and share.
Membership can be fluid and changing.

What We’ve Tried and
What Happened
Please work in groups of 3
or 4. Please introduce
yourselves. Describe
where your school is in the
process of launching or
implementing affinity
groups. What are some of
the success and challenges
you’ve experienced?

Why Affinity Groups Are Great
 Safety and Comfort to be
Authentic
 Affirmation
 Critical Mass
 Identity Socialization
 Building Resilience
 Preparing to Engage
Deeply with Other Groups
 Empowerment Toward
Action

Why Affinity Groups
Meet Resistance
 Unacknowledged Fear
of Assembly
 Unacknowledged
Resistance to
Empowerment
 Desire to Stay Ignorant
of Issues
 Privilege

Forms of Resistance
• False Parallels
• Inverting the Injustice
• Outright Dismissal
• Minimization
• Righteousness
• Colorblindness
• Jealousy

Stage 1: Identify the Need
 Gather data around the
school’s population
 Gather research on the
challenges groups face
 Gather research on the
benefit of affinity groups,
explicit conversations
 Gather data around need
and desire
 CONNECT TO YOUR
MISSION

Stage 2: Determine Format and
Definitions
 Affinity, Alliance, or Interest?
 Identities/Identifiers
 Timing
 Space
 Facilitators
 Group Goals or Mission
Statements
 Curriculum

Stage 3: Communicate and Invite
 Initial Communication from
Head
 Communicate the Need, the
What, the How, and the Who
 Communicate Definitions,
Goals, and Missions
 FAQs
 Faculty/Staff,
Parents/Guardians, Students

Stage 4: Facilitate Groups
 Identity Pride
 History
 Positive Change and
Activism
 Opportunities and
Challenges
 Strategies for Success
 Supporting Each Other

Stage 5: Wash, Rinse, Repeat
 Assess Effectiveness
 Make Improvements
 Re-Launch Every Year
 Utilize Student/Family Voice
 United Front

Possible Affinity Group Curriculum
 Culture Share
 Celebrations of
Holidays/Events
 Identity Exercises
 Current Events
 Movies
 Field Trips
 “What Do I Do If…”

Factors Leading to More Success
 Pride > Struggle
 Deflection of Blame
 Inclusive of Full Spectrum
 Who’s in the Room
 Youth Driven Curricula
 Opportunities to Share
 Collective Action

Factors Leading to Less Success
 Lack of Consistency
 Lack of Budget
 Lack of Curricula
 Reinforcement of
Stereotypes
 Chauvinism
 Adult Agenda
 Visitors and Gawkers

Reflection
Please work in pairs or in
groups of three. What
information was new,
useful, interesting,
worrisome, etc.? What
questions do you have?
What’s missing?

Talking Points for Affinity Groups

“Affinity Groups” We Already Have
• Gendered Bathrooms
• Faculty Meetings
• Tracked Classes
• Financial Aid Allocation Meetings
• Sports Teams
• Divisions and Grades
• Casts of School Plays
• Faculty/Staff Rooms

Equality versus Equity
Everybody gets a shirt versus everybody
gets a shirt that fits.
Giving everybody some insulin in
equality. Giving only people who are
diabetic some insulin is equity.
What is “fair”?

Conflation of Individual/Institutional

Privilege
“Privilege exists when one group has
something of value that is denied to others
simply because of the groups they belong
to, rather than because of anything they’ve
done or failed to do.”
[as described by Peggy McIntosh and quoted by Allan Johnson]
Privilege is SYSTEMIC. It drives the
systems that dominate our societies.

Situational Advantage
There are prime parking spots and seats
reserved for people with disabilities. People
with disabilities are often first to board
planes and other transportation vehicles.
These advantages are situational and do not
balance out systemic oppression.

Safety versus Comfort
Safety: I feel that, in this space, I can ask questions without
fear of judgment. I can voice my perspective and know that
I will be validated for the fact that that is my truth. Others
may challenge my ideas, but that challenge is in the spirit of
greater shared understanding and growth.
Comfort: I feel that, in this space, my reality will be agreed
with, validated, and unchallenged. I don’t have to explain
myself to be understood, and I don’t have to justify my
perspective, as everyone shares it.
As educators, we are constantly setting up an environment
where students are safe but not always comfortable...
SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN AND GROW.

Practice Makes…
Less Heart-Attack-Inducing

Structure
 Partner 1 states a form of resistance or
asks a question about affinity groups
 Partner 2 responds or answers
 Switch

Large Group Share
What were some:
Ah-ha moments
Great strategies
Heads up
Questions or Concerns

Resources
Full resources, web links,
downloadable documents, and more can
be found at:
https://sites.google.com/sitesgsprofessionalo
utreach/affinity-group-resource-page

Our Responsibility To Children

Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee

Affinity Groups - What, Why, and How

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